The best waterfront and beach bars in Miami for drinks in paradise

Located on a marina, this popular Grove hangout is a sweet spot for cold beers, stiff drinks and casual seafood. Thatch-roofed tiki huts surround a stage from which reggae and calypso bands do their damnedest to persuade the diners and drinkers to dance. On Friday afternoons find a rowdy happy hour crowd (heavy with thirsty UM kids) eagerly slurping up strong frozen drinks. For a more family-friendly vibe, come on the weekends, order a basket of fried seafood and a pitcher of beer for yourself and send the kids off to dance to the live music.

Located inside Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park and helmed by the same family from the adjacent dock-and-dine destination Boater’s Grill, the Cleat is the blissfully laidback yet chic waterfront bar Key Biscayne was missing. Whether you’re perched at the thick terrazzo slab horseshoe bar or slung back on an Adirondack chair with your toes in the sand, every seat is the best seat in the house to enjoy panoramic ocean views with your boozy piña colada or ice-cold beer. Though there is limited covered seating, the entire place is outdoors, so do mind the weather if you’re making a trek out to the Cleat.

A complete renovation of the sea wall and deck in 2014 gave this 30-year-old North Bay Village standby a new lease on life. Patrons here can kick back with a pitcher of beer, wings and steamed clams while taking in unobstructed views of the Miami sunset over the water. Umbrellas and palms provide a fair amount of shade for sports fans taking in the latest match on one of the flatscreen TVs. Plus, unlike many spots on this list, the onsite marina offers boat docking free of charge.

The bayside deck of The Standard Spa, Miami Beach plays host to a chic bar scene with unrivaled views of the water. The menu here is as light as the vibe, with fresh salads and veggie snacks like roasted beets and seasonal hummus and crudite. It isn’t rare to spot a school of dolphins frolicking in the bay while downing a few glasses of sangria and f'rosé—that is, if you’re not too distracted people-watching at this enclave for the ultra-hip.

This buzzy beachfront club is on a petite man-made island in Biscayne Bay. An ideal gathering spot for boozy brunches and larger parties, the boho-chic ambiance pairs with bottle service and DJ-spun tunes for a unique, Euro-inspired waterfront dining experience in Miami. Reservations are hard to come by, but the wait is totally worth it once you’ve dipped your toes in the sand.

Much-loved Wynwood bar Gramps expanded to Key Biscayne with this campy, authentically Florida spot. There’s boat access, skyline views, freshly caught seafood and near-endless tropical drinks. The Getaway version has all the funky thrills Gramps has come to be known for—with a more post-beach-day vibe. The schooner-like bar slings craft cocktails and frozen concoctions. While the onsite kitchen is still being prepared for its full debut, snacks like fresh oysters and buttery lobster rolls are available to purchase from a Lazy Oyster pop-up shack.

As part of a $20 million dollar property-wide transformation, the Mondrian South Beach recently unveiled this polished stunner of a pool deck with a restaurant, bar and lounge that features eye-popping views of Biscayne Bay (and the mega-yachts that float by). The oversized thatched hut is festooned with rattan lanterns and cushioned chairs making it the ideal backdrop for drinks like the Jade made with No.3 Gin, lavender and lemon extract. Pro tip: make sure to settle in a half-hour before sunset for amazing views and select cocktails and snacks for $10.

The WetLab has been one of the best-kept secrets in Miami—and for good reason. It takes a bit of maneuvering to find (it’s located behind the University of Miami’s RSMAS campus on Key Biscayne), but the views and prices are more than worth it. A wide-open terrace looks out over the turquoise waters of the bay, with string lights gently illuminating the view after the sun sets. This bargain beer drinker’s paradise with lots of icy-cold craft brews on tap also boasts live music and a laidback college atmosphere.

Look the part of a fancy, seafaring yachtsman at this posh, bayfront restaurant where the Euro crowds, Mediterranean menu and Instagrammable views create a truly Miami scene. It’s fun, not stuffy, and Sunday brunches take daytime partying to new levels—rosé flows, a live sax plays over the DJ, the cabanas are full and the over-the-top seafood towers just keep on coming.

This Greek dream makes its home along the Miami River in a 100-year-old converted fish market. A partially covered deck with tied-back white curtains and ivy-wrapped columns sets the scene for the simple, yet rustic Mediterranean fare that’ll accompany date night rounds of ornate, tiki-inspired cocktails. While the main bar is tucked inside the charming rustic environs of the restaurant, the view from the outside bar makes the decision to take your cocktail al fresco a no-brainer.

Casadonna’s $20 million build-out is stunning to behold. The grand foyer of the century-old Women’s Club (a building it shares with Klaw) is reminiscent of the grand central courtyard at Vizcaya. Just the same, pass through it for the best seats in the house out back, where tall metal trellises with new vines above rattan tables and chairs in pink and teal, semi-circle booths and a large, luxurious bar over on the side. Its straightforward Italian food menu might not always live up to the bay views, but the city has no more glamorous backdrop for drinks than Casadonna.

Floating on the waterfront docks of the Miami Beach Marina, this longtime favorite gets lively during happy hour and on the weekends. The straw-thatched tiki hut bordering the pool offers a stunning view of yachts docked on the Atlantic while their infamous frozen Pain Relievers and Miami Vice cocktails take the sting out of a tough day at work. On weekends, enjoy a rotating lineup of live music with your peel-and-eat shrimp, oysters and clams.

Regatta Grove is stunning. It’s the kind of party spot to bring out-of-towners who expect as much from Miami, and it’s full of food-truck-like vendors putting out largely solid food. It comes courtesy of Breakwater Hospitality Group, the folks who brought us the now-closed Wharf here in Miami and its Fort Lauderdale sister. At this newer spot in the Coconut Grove marina, they went a bit more upscale, with pretty banquettes, strips of fancy-looking wood running through the concrete floors and a massive circular bar in the center, the kind of spot where we can easily see ourselves happy houring on the regular. 

Nikki Beach is the quintessential beach club, an outdoor fantasyland sprawling over a stretch of sand with tiki bars, lounge chairs and torches. Decorated with beautiful people, it’s like the Playboy mansion meets Survivor, where the fittest don’t merely survive, they flourish. Buxom beauties attract well-oiled, deep-pocketed sugar daddies, and the studs also get rewarded for their packaging. In addition to the restaurant and beach club, there’s a club and lounge for when the party moves inside.

Classic Americana on the water—that pretty much sums up the feeling at this lively Brickell joint. Red, white and blue adorn the outdoor patio that overlooks the Miami River. Beer is the way to go here, with an impressive roster of craft brews on tap—and if you can tear yourself away from the waterfront view, there are dozens of beer tap tables inside and house-made soft pretzel bites once the munchies strike. Wednesday through Sunday, take advantage of discounted "social hour" pricing from 10pm until close.

Nestled within a post-industrial warehouse next to Kiki on the River, this waterfront enclave features an outdoor lounge on a wood-lined deck that juts out onto the Miami River. Here, a see-and-be-seen crowd watches the sun set on the Downtown skyline with glasses of champagne and Disco Nap espresso martinis in hand. Live DJ music echoes throughout the deck as boats cruise the river and plates of thinly sliced crudos accompany the cocktails coming out from behind the bar.

The ocean-inspired rooftop bar rests 18 stories above South Beach and yet seems inches away from the ocean. Watr is decked in reclaimed, lit by strings of bulbs and features and features a soundtrack more akin to breaking waves than the usual club bangers you hear in these parts. Its retractable rooftop means guests can enjoy the Japanese-Peruvian menu year-round. Don’t miss Watr’s assortment of frozen cocktails and the delicious and authentic Pisco sour.

Bayshore Club is an expansive open-air bar and restaurant right smack on the water in Coconut Grove with views and a vibe that’ll likely earn it loyal customers forever and ever. All of that’s so true it probably doesn’t matter what anyone says about the food. Without a doubt, Bayshore Club is a worthy stop for a boozy sunset happy hour before moving on to any of the other excellent spots nearby.

This lively, bi-level spot in the Fontainebleau Miami Beach channels a sun-splashed, South of France vibe—crisp whites, vibrant teals and an ocean view that’s hard to beat. The upper level overlooks both the pool and the ocean—the perfect spot for lounging back with a crisp glass of rosé (or a pitcher of their eponymous punch) and a plate of oysters while watching the bar scene light up with chic patrons chatting amidst DJ-spun tunes.

Sure, they’ve got more than 20 TVs posted up around the joint—but none of them hold a candle to the view of the Intracoastal Waterway at this laid-back watering hole in North Miami Beach. Dive-bar delicacies like chicken wings and potato skins sidle up to beer and frozen adult beverages, making this a favorite spot to catch a Heat or Marlins game. This isn’t just any sports bar—the 700 seats, fifty-space boat dock and a sunny pool deck (did we mention there’s a pool?) make sure of that.